The Club held its monthly meeting at the Dursley Community Centre, over 60 members were present with President Martin Lee in the Chair. It was with great sadness that President Martin announced the death of Past President John Theaker. John had been a long serving and enthusiastic member of the Club who had contributed much to its success. The meeting stood in silence for one minute in memory of John who will be greatly missed.

President Martin reflected on the recent Club Barbecue at the Uley home of David Valentin. A “close run thing” with the weather, but with a shrewd last minute adjustment to the timing all those present enjoyed an afternoon of food and fellowship in delightful surroundings. The President thanked all those who had worked so hard for its success.

Vice President Martin Budden and Past President Don Powell have finalised plans for a short visit to east Devon based on Seaton & Exeter. We will visit Exeter Cathedral, the Seaton Tramway and Powderham Castle with a river cruise from Exmouth to Exeter.

In October we hope to visit the Brunel Museum in Bristol. Organiser Colin Wyatt has been able to arrange for us to have lunch on the SS Great Britain which will be an added bonus for the day.

It is some time since the Club enjoyed a theatre visit but one is proposed for November. We have arranged to visit the Everyman in Cheltenham to see a production of “The Messiah”, a comedy with an impressive star line.

Looking ahead to the new year, two past presidents Tom Potts and Brian Lamerton are putting together plans for a wine and cheese evening in January.

The President notified members that the 2019 annual holiday will be a four day visit to North Wales based at a hotel in Caernarfon commencing on 1st April. He outlined the proposed itinerary which will include visits to Caernarfon and Beaumaris Castles, the Welsh Highland Railway and a cruise on the Menai Strait.

Speaker of the day was Barry Harrison whose topic was the life and works of Thomas Hughes, a native of Dursley who lived from1742-1813. He was an apothecary and surgeon with practices in Marshfield, Wotton and Stroud. Unusually for the time, he was also a man midwife, needed because of the development of forceps delivery. He was also associated with Edward Jenner working on smallpox immunization. His other interest was in local weather recording. He amassed three volumes of diaries of records of rainfall, temperature, pressure and humidity and invented a practical rain gauge. The diaries were still in use up to the 1950s.

The Vote of Thanks was proposed by Peter Lodge, there being no further business the President closed the meeting and members retired to the bar followed by lunch.